Winter sunshine ride

Last week riding with Fløyen MTB it was muddy and wet, today it was winter big time. Came a little snow last night, minus degrees, and the sun shined on us. I was early as usual so rode up to Fjellveien and that way to the meeting place instead of just through the city with cars. Pretty beautiful morning:

4 people that met up today. Ole Anders, me, Eirik and Justin. Decided to get up Fløyen but through Isdalen and up Rundemann. Already then I knew it would be hard with a 36t even with XX1 back up that climb. And it was, managed more than I thought but had to walk the last part before waiting for the others:

Then the last part was riding some. Managed the steep part you can see on this picture above. And then walking some. But great view with the ocean on one side and mountains on the other:

Up on the top we talked a little about where to go and I thought it would be hard going down too. But the road was pretty good, or my Racing Ralph worked for a bit 😉 Stopped at a turn so Eirik could fill up with water and both me and him did a 2 wheel slide 😉 A bit slippery. Down to Fløyen and rode a nice little singletrack I never ridden before. Missed it first so had to turn back. There I knew why I rode my Liteville. Ate the trail like I eat ice cream 😉 Super fun. Ended the singletrack with a rear puncture for Eirik with a big scar made him put in a tube and just roll back home as it was a hole in the sidewall. Ole Anders got a smaller puncture at the same place and tried to pump it up, rode Stand and Deliver and then it was little again so rode home.

Stand and Deliver was pretty nice with a thin layer of snow on top of the hard ground. Me and Justin decided to take Sticks’n’Stones to from about before heading. Super grippy and would have been nice if I haven’t missed a turn and had to stop to get back on the right line. Rode the 2 small singletrack parts down from Fløyen after we watched the beautiful view over Bergen.

Great winter riding 😀 But impossible to wash my bike when I came home, the dirt had frozen so had to wait with that 🙂

The ride today: Movescount

last, hardest, no middleclass

Last ride of the year today. A year with over 5 months without cycling, with 3 races, 1 win and many new thoughts. Rode up to Rundemann passing Sticks’n’Stones with John today with the best bike of 2013.

Some years ago I would never have been thought of riding a 10,8kg bike with 150mm front travel, dropper post and slack angles. The terrain in Bergen changed me, optimizing isn’t always about weight even when it always got a small point and is really fun to save weight.

Today with 2 nights of bad sleep, and last time I was riding properly was the 15th december after beeing out the evening before with work. Didn’t got drunk but takes a lot of energy to come home late and go up early. So today with the Christmas shape on top, made for walking from a meal to another it was hard. Sitting climbing with over 180 in heart rate and when coming onto the singletrack just didn’t have the power needed to ride properly over slippery obstacles. But no matter about shape and feelings it’s fun to ride. Topped 191 in heart rate up Rundemann where the rain came sideways and the mist did make the gorgeous view as beautiful as a plastic mug with milk. Epic. Going down the first part it was important to hold onto the bike when the wind came. Onto the singletrack it was wet, wetter and muddy. Just to press the pedals and let the bike go if you got the power. I didn’t today so had to fight to find some power. No pauses for me going down the singletrack made it harder too. Tried a new track at the bottom that can be pretty good, if it’s a bit drier.

John is getting faster and faster feeling home on his Rocky Mountain Altitude so he flew down the singletrack today even when it was muddy. Or are Nobby Nic so much better then Racing Ralph in mud?

Going back on the asphalt down to the city I found a new feature with dropper post. When just sitting on the bike as you don’t have heavier gears it’s just to sink the seat and you get more aero 😀 Awesome feature.

So back home with 167 in average heart rate, 168 if not counting pauses my body hurts. But it gives muscles, it gives confidence, it gave me a smile sometimes and I know that it can become a lot better next year. The best thing with a hard training have to be all the other rides when it feels so easy and you fly.

Me after the ride today. And as my boss said this morning I got the sun on my head 🙂 Have to lighten life up sometimes 😉

 

And the bike of the year. my Liteville 301 with Sram XX1, Sram X.0 brakes, Magura TS8 fork, Tune Race 2.0 27,5 wheels, Rock Shox Reverb Stealth seatpost. And of course a Tune Komm-Vor seat and Crank Brothers Candy pedals:

 

With the new Sram X01 rear deralleur. Worked perfect like the XX1 derailleur did. But didn’t use the 42t today, not so weak 😉

 

Strava from the ride: Strava

Orbea Rallon!

First some questions.

What is the coolest mtb type? Enduro

What is the best gears? Sram XX1

Who makes the best brakes? Formula

Which wheelsize is the best? 27,5″

Which dropper post is best? Rock Shox Reverb Stealth

Which color do you like most? Yellow

Who has the best suspension? BOS?

Everyone doesn’t like to race, but doesn’t everyone wants to beat your friend? The slogan for the new Orbea Rallon is: “We may not be racing, but that doesn’t mean I am not trying to beat you.”

The bike with the right specification if you ask me:

Maybe a set of Mavic Enduro wheels but except that 😉

160mm suspension front and rear with BOS and all I wish for. The only downside with this bike is the weight. The frame is 3,15kg.

A video about the suspension here:

If you want (I know you want) to see more of this, check out Bikerumor and Orbea

And they got Mavic wheels on the Rallon X-Team: